The second edition of “Just Dust” is now out! In this edition is an inspiring new Forward written by David Reinhardt. His remarks have been particularly poignant inasmuch as he was able to capsulize the story in a few special words. For example, in his original communication with the author, Wes Choc, he compares Wes’s journey during Vietnam as being just like what Forrest Gump would have experienced … “but Forrest Gump was fiction!”

To quote David Reinhardt, “When you finish reading, you’ll find yourself wondering which is more improbable: Wes Surviving the Marines, or the Marines surviving Wes.”

Find out why this was an improbable adventure for Wes Choc … and how nonfiction is often more intriguing than fiction.

Over 60 authors will be showcasing their books this coming Saturday. It certainly looks like it’s going to be a big event this year.

How to get there: Go north on Oracle Blvd to SaddleBrooke Blvd (6 miles north of Oro Valley). Turn right onto SaddleBrooke Blvd and then turn right onto MountainView Blvd (you will see a stone monument sign). The clubhouse will be down the hill on your left.

Wally’s remains were cremated, and he will be laid to rest in the military cemetery in Fort Huachuca (near Sierra Vista), Arizona. Per his wishes, his ashes will be buried in his wife’s grave in a family ceremony at 12:30 this Friday, February 19th. The ceremony will be attended by a small contingent of U.S. Army soldiers in recognition of his military career for 22 years following World War II.

As Wally lived, Wally thus has passed away … graciously and inconspicuously. For those who knew him or who loved him, this will be a quiet farewell for a very interesting and special individual.

That Tucson author event being held in Saddlebrooke on February 20th is expanding to 62 local authors presenting their works for everyone to look at and consider. Besides book signings, there will be opportunities to engage all the authors about quite an array of topics and genres. There will also be snacks and chairs and a lot of places to commiserate with fellow readers. It’s going to be a fun event.

I will be presenting my two books: Just Dust – An Improbable Marine’s Vietnam Story, and Inconspicuous – Walter Rothwell’s Undercover Journey During the Cold War. Please come visit and …

This month, Wes Choc was featured (see end of this month’s newsletter) as a special tutor who regularly volunteers his time teaching English to new residents to the U.S. Every week, he conducts the Advanced Conversation class at Nanini Public Library on Tucson’s northwest side. Inside the classroom, students practice their speaking and listening skills in particular. The main focus in the class is on “practical pronunciation” (in order to speak more fluently and more clearly the way Americans do) as well as on “idioms, slang, and word choices” (in order to understand what people are saying, and to use these types of speaking skills). Best of all, it’s a fun way for students to practice their communication abilities in a mutually supportive environment.

Walter Rothwell Jr., 92, passed away in his home January 21, 2015 … peacefully while reclining in his overstuffed comfortable chair … with numerous favorite books and magazines stacked on tables alongside. Further details about arrangements will be posted when known.

Wally was the subject of the biography just completed written by Wes Choc … a nonfiction account about his life during the Cold War. Drafted into the US Army (while living in Switzerland) the same month World War II ended might seem fortuitous, but because of Wally’s ability to speak four languages like a native, it enticed him into a world of strategic intelligence … and ultimately Cold War espionage. He became a spy. His unusual and ultimately consequential life story is recounted in the book titled “Inconspicuous – Walter Rothwell’s Undercover Journey During the Cold War” … find out more information on this at http://www.amazon.com/Inconspicuous-Walter-Rothwells-Undercover-Journey/dp/0996417923/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449468639&sr=8-1&keywords=inconspicuous and elsewhere on this site.

If you live around Tucson, there’s going to be a significant author event held in Saddlebrooke on February 20th. More than 50 authors will be presenting their works for everyone to look at and consider. There will be book signings and an opportunities to engage each author about quite an array of topics and genres. It’s going to be a fun event. I’m planning to participate and will be presenting two books: Just Dust – An Improbable Marine’s Vietnam Story, and Inconspicuous – Walter Rothwell’s Undercover Journey During the Cold War.

Watch for more details to come. But in the meantime, be sure to mark your calendar now!

Listen to the entire interview with Tucson radio station KQTH’s Ben Beuhler Garcia that aired first on December 29, 2015. It’s an interesting sojourn into the pages of Wes Choc’s second edition of “Just Dust: An Improbable Marine’s Vietnam Story” that was released mid-December.

It was indeed a poignant moment when I presented Wally the first copy of his biography. He just touched the cover and turned it over and over, then opened the pages to see what was inside. His eyes paused on pages with photos before giving me one of his restrained Wally-esque smiles.

The next day, I came back to his home to learn that he was very tired. He didn’t get much sleep the night before I was told by his caretaker, Mary Brown. As it turned out, Wally stayed up to the wee hours reading his book completely through, cover to cover. I noticed his eyes were kind of heavy despite that lingering pinched-lip Wally-esque smile. Mary told me that he was now half-way through his second reading. Although Wally had indeed read numerous drafts over the last 12-15 months, this was something … well, … tangible. Not wanting to miss this moment, I decided to take a couple photos to share..